1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting fungi utilizing Bacillus laterosporus strain BOD or mutants thereof.
2. Brief Description of the Background Art
Advances in modern medicine have enabled science to prolong the lives of many individuals with severely debilitating immunologic defenses. Often, patients are predisposed to opportunistic infections because they are receiving corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, irradiation, or broad-spectrum antibacterial antibiotics for the management of such conditions as cancer, organ transplant, and other surgical procedures, immunologic disorders, or chronic infections. Particularly susceptible are patients with leukemia, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), Hodgkin's disease, neutropenia, and other hematologic diseases, and endocrinopathies, including diabetes. It has been found that, in general, conditions or treatments which reduce the number or function of phagocytes or impair cell-immediated immunity increase susceptibility to opportunistic mycoses.
Such compromised patients are at risk for systemic candidiasis, cryptococcal meningitis, invasive aspergillosis, and rhinocerebral or thoracic mucormycosis. Avoiding exposure to the agents of these mycosis is almost impossible because they are ubiquitous in the environment or a part of the normal microbial flora. In addition, opportunistic mycosis are life threatening and the most frequently encountered of the systemic fungal infections. In recent years, the incidents of opportunistic mycosis has increased at an alarming rate.
Various species of Candida and Aspergillus can cause other clinical problems, in addition to their role in opportunistic disease. Indeed, any of several of species of the yeast Candida are capable of causing candidiasis. These organisms are members of the normal flora of the skin, mucous membranes, and gastrointestinal tract. Since Candida species colonize the mucosal surfaces of all humans during birth, or shortly thereafter, the risk of indigenous infection is ever present. It is not surprising that candidiasis occurs worldwide and is the most common systemic mycosis. While more than 100 species of Candida exist, several are part of the normal flora and are potential pathogens. However, most infections are caused by Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis.
Cutaneous candidiasis can be treated with topical antibiotics (such as ketoconazole, nystatin, or miconazole) or chemical solutions (such as gentian violet). The treatment of systemic candidiasis usually requires the administration of such agents as amphotericin B alone or in combination with flucytosine. Unfortunately, many clinical isolets of Candida develop resistance to flucytosine. Consequently, antibiotic therapy for candidiasis is highly variable from one individual to the next and resolution of fungal lesions is primarily associated with improved immunocompetence. Unfortunately, both responses are often only temporary.
Prophylaxis of patients at risk for systemic candidiasis has been attempted using oral ketoconazole or nystatin, or a low dose or short course of amphotericin B, often in combination with antibacterial antibiotics. While controlled studies have usually resulted in lower resistances of candidiasis in treated patients, a significant and standard regimen has not been established. Thus, there exists a significant need for compositions which can inhibit the proliferation of Candida, but do not have the often severe side effects associated with existing antibiotics. The present invention provides a therapeutic composition which has these characteristics.